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Gretna City Council pitches proposal banning sports from city streets

gretnabball.jpg

The Gretna City Council rejected a proposed amendment that would ban playing sports in the streets. Councilman Mark Miller said the city's obstruction of street ordinance would address the issue.
(Andrea Shaw, NOLA.com|The Times-Picayune)

Let the kids play, says Gretna City Councilman Mark Miller. The former recreation supervisor on Wednesday withdrew a measure to ban sports in the streets.

The measure was proposed in May by former Councilman Vincent Cox III, at the request of a constituent. The amendment would have prohibited any activity that blocks the street, including "the playing of football, baseball, basketball, soccer, volleyball, tennis, dodge ball or any game or sport that uses a racquet, club, stick, ball or projectile on city streets.''

Police Chief Arthur Lawson raised concerns about prosecuting juveniles for such an offense.

Miller, who was elected to Cox's 3rd District seat this spring, said the amendment's intent is already covered under ordinance and would place an additional burden on the Police Department. "It's really something I don't think we need,'' Miller said.